Sandbags are laid out around Times Square in New York City. (Robert Duyos / Sun-Sentinel)

David Ng

Hurricane Sandy has forced many cultural institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region to close their doors and cancel performances.

In New York, Broadway shows that perform on Mondays have canceled their scheduled evening performances. That includes "Annie," "Chicago," "Evita," "Mamma Mia!," "Newsies," "Phantom of the Opera," "Rock of Ages" and "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." The Metropolitan Opera has canceled its Monday evening performance of Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro."

Carnegie Hall has canceled all of its scheduled Monday events. A performance by Idina Menzel has been rescheduled for Sunday. Performances on Monday at the Public Theater and Joe's Pub have also been canceled.

The last time New York saw so many canceled performances was in August 2011, when Hurricane Irene threatened the Eastern Seaboard.

The Washington, D.C., area is also seeing a number of closures this week. The Smithsonian said all of its museums in the capital will be closed Monday and all scheduled events have been canceled. The Kennedy Center said all Monday events have been canceled.

Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Museum of Art said it is closed to the public Monday and Tuesday due to the hurricane. The Barnes Foundation and the Rodin Museum, which are in Philadelphia, also will be closed both days.